One of the best primes i know, mounted on the E-P1: Minolta MC W.Rokkor – HH 1:1.8/35mm
A few weeks ago i have ordered the Novoflex Minolta MD to Micro Four Thirds adapter for my E-P1. Now it arrived. Coming from an analogue Minolta System (XE-1, SRT) with a lot of superb glass, doing this is one of the major reasons owning an E-P1. Maybe some of you readers know that Minolta build some excellent lenses and some of them were also labeled for Leica. I was always a bit unhappy that Minolta changed their mount going from manual to autofocus and that there always was no good solution to adapt my old primes onto a digital slr body. Now, with Micro Four Thirds this changed. But you have to live with the crop of two. Ok, there is no autofocus for the old glass but with the 7x or 10x magnification it’s very easy and accurate to focus on the E-P1’s screen. If you like it the faster way, you can also use the depth of field scale engraved on old lenses (Manufacturers: why not on modern AF Lenses?) Remember the Minox or Rollei 35 Series, working with them was very similar in terms of focusing, you also had to use the dof-scale. I think a fusion of old glass and a small Micro Four Thirds Body will also be perfect for the street shooter. Now for playing around and come to grips i located my first shooting here on Freiburg’s old yard which is always interesting to photograph. I go there for years in sometimes longer amplitudes. Mostly it looks that time is standing still there, but i am always impressed how many lil things changed and how busy it still is.
installation I | Olympus E-P1 with Minolta MC W.Rokkor – HH 1:1.8/35mm
installation II | Olympus E-P1 with Minolta MC W.Rokkor – HH 1:1.8/35mm
timeless changes I | Olympus E-P1 with Minolta MC W.Rokkor – HH 1:1.8/35mm
Image Quality is excellent, there is nothing other to say. I really see no color fringes which is sadly often an issue with those plastic like digital lenses.
timeless changes II | Olympus E-P1 with Exakta MC Macro 1:2.8/24mm
A lens that i loved since i began photography is the Minolta MC Rokkor – PG 1:1.4/50mm. I know it’s a bit to soft wide open but stopping down a bit it’s a brilliant and sharp performer. See yourself, contrast, colours and sharpness are stunning …
cargo art I | Olympus E-P1 with Minolta MC Rokkor – PG 1:1.4/50mm
cargo art II | Olympus E-P1 with Minolta MC Rokkor – PG 1:1.4/50mm
… and the out of focus blur is nothing but nice | Olympus E-P1 with Minolta MC Rokkor – PG 1:1.4/50mm @ 1.4
It’s a joy to use. Naturally we love cameras like the E-P1 or the Lumix GF1 because of their small size. I think you’ve seen in the first picture that the old Minolta Lenses and the Novoflex MFT/MD Adapter are a bit big, but when carrying around it doesn’t bother me. It feels hefty in your hands and when focusing manually, hefty things are better. They give you feedback! I also found a perfect bag (seen in the first picture of this post) for the Olympus Digital Pen which fits for Body with Lens, a second lens, the keys, the wallet and my mobile: Jack Wolfskin Overture. I have bought this small shoulderbag from jack wolfskin and took an unused padded divider from another photo bag to have a division for a second lens, fixed it inside with Tesa sew & stick on tapes. This is my all day going-out-the-house and i really can recommend it! It fits also with the big Minolta lenses … ; and again another brilliant performer is the Minolta MC W.Rokkor – SG 1:3.5/28mm.
something elegant I | Olympus E-P1 with Minolta MC W.Rokkor – SG 1:3.5/28mm
something elegant II | Olympus E-P1 with Minolta MC W.Rokkor – SG 1:3.5/28mm
something elegant III | Olympus E-P1 with Minolta MC W.Rokkor – SG 1:3.5/28mm
something elegant IV | Olympus E-P1 with Minolta MC W.Rokkor – SG 1:3.5/28mm
Only against the light the old lenses have their flaws but who cares when they are still razor sharp and their mechanics working like new. My conclusion after one week with the Novoflex MFT/MIN-MD Adapter: When you have old Minolta Primes in the depths of your cupboards – Highly Recommended!
